Knife sharpener

Abstract

A knife sharpening device includes a vertically-oriented base having a vertically-oriented slot. Mounted on the base, on one side of the slot are two crossed sharpening members of a rod-like configuration. A lower end of each of the crossed sharpening members is anchored in a horizontally-extending pivot pin with a terminal end of each of the sharpening members extending beyond the pivot pins and engaging a horizontally-extending stop pin. The pivot pins are rotatably mounted in the base and extend through the base. A pivot wheel is mounted concentrically on a free end of the pivot pins on an opposite side of the base from the sharpening members. Two radially-extending set screws extend through the pivot wheels and engage a flat surface of the pivot pin to hold the pivot wheels on the pivot pins. Extending between the two set screws, threadingly mounted in the two pivot wheels, is a tensioning spring. The two ends of the spring are wrapped around the set screws and encased in a heat-shrunk polyolefin wrapper to secure the ends of the tension spring to the set screws.

We claim: 
     
       1. A knife sharpener comprising: a base,   an elongated slot extending from one end of said base,   at least one pair of sharpening members,   mounting means for mounting said at least one pair of sharpening members in an overlapping V-formation with said at least one pair of sharpening members crossing in front of said elongated slot,   said mounting means including two pivot pins extending through said base, said at least one pair of sharpening members being fixedly mounted on said two pivot pins,   said mounting means further including securing means for securing said pivot pins on said base and for imparting a bias force on said pivot pins to be overcome by movement of said at least one pair of sharpening members, said securing means including two ends of a spring encased in a wrapper to prevent springbreak contamination in the event of breakage of said spring.   
     
     
       2. A knife sharpener according to claim 1, wherein said wrapper is made of a heat shrinkable polyolefin. 
     
     
       3. A knife sharpener according to claim 1, wherein said two pivot pins extend through said base. 
     
     
       4. A knife sharpener comprising: a base,   at least one pair of sharpening members, and   mounting means for pivotally mounting said at least one pair of sharpening members on said base in an overlapping V-formation, said mounting means including two pivot pins extending through said base, said at least one pair of sharpening members being mounted on said pivot pins on one side of said base, said mounting means further including securing means located on an opposite side of said base for securing said two pivot pins on said opposite side of said base and for tensioning said at least one pair of sharpening members against a bias force overcome by a blade edge contacting said at least one pair of sharpening members and moving said at least one pair of sharpening members,   said securing means including a spring and means for setting said spring on each of said two pivot pins with said spring extending between said two pivot pins.   
     
     
       5. A knife sharpener according to claim 4, wherein said means for setting said spring includes pivot wheels mounted on said two pivot pins, with each pivot wheel including an annular groove, said spring being pulled into said groove upon movement of said at least one pair of sharpening members. 
     
     
       6. A knife sharpener according to claim 5, wherein said spring extends tangentially to each of said pivot wheels when in a position of rest. 
     
     
       7. A knife sharpener according to claim 5, wherein said spring includes two ends with one end being secured to a set screw extending radially through each of said pivot wheels. 
     
     
       8. A knife sharpener according to claim 7, wherein a sleeve member surrounds one end of said spring on each of said set screws. 
     
     
       9. A knife sharpener comprising: a base,   two sharpening members, and   pivot means for pivotally mounting said two sharpening members on said base in an overlapping V-formation, said pivot means including a spring having two ends and means for encasing said two ends of said spring for securing said two ends of said spring to said pivot means to prevent springbreak contamination in the event of breakage of said spring.   
     
     
       10. A knife sharpener according to claim 9, wherein said means for encasing includes a heat shrunk wrapper. 
     
     
       11. A knife sharpener according to claim 9, wherein said pivot means includes pivot pins extending through said base. 
     
     
       12. A knife sharpener according to claim 9, wherein said two sharpening members are located on one side of said base and a portion of said pivot means is located on an opposite side of said base. 
     
     
       13. A knife sharpener according to claim 9, wherein said two sharpening members engage stop pins against a bias of said spring in a position of rest. 
     
     
       14. A knife sharpener according to claim 9, wherein said pivot means includes pivot wheels having an annular groove for receipt of said spring upon movement of said two sharpening members due to engagement of said two sharpening members by a knife blade. 
     
     
       15. A knife sharpener according to claim 14, wherein said pivot means includes a set screw extending radially through each said pivot wheel to engage a pivot pin about which each said pivot wheel is concentrically mounted. 
     
     
       16. A knife sharpener according to claim 15, wherein said pivot pin extends through said base.